Yatseniuk suspends management of State Fiscal Service and orders investigation

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk has ordered a full probe into the activities of the management of the State Fiscal Service and threatened to fire those found to have abused their positions.

UNIAN

Speaking during a telephone conference with the management of the State Fiscal Service on Tuesday, the prime minister said he would appeal to business to provide information about abuses by members of the service.

Yatseniuk also said that during the investigation the government will suspend the management of State Fiscal Service from its duties.

"During the official investigation, I appeal to entrepreneurs, help me - and I will help you. I need concrete facts,” Yatseniuk said, adding that this related to bribery, imports schemes, and other violations.

“For the next two weeks, the government will on a daily basis cooperate with Ukrainian business to establish specific facts of abuses in the State Fiscal Service, customs and tax police," he said.

At the same time Yatseniuk appealed to the local heads of the tax authorities, noting that they share the same responsibility as the chief management of the service. He drew particular attention to the "organized crime groups including representatives of the security services, customs officers, prosecutors, police officers, who are engaged in money laundering, racketeering, and using schemes that lead to the looting of a country that is currently at war."

At the same time, Yatseniuk said that the management of State Fiscal Service could also prove its effectiveness.

"I will let the management of State Fiscal Service to prove its effectiveness in the course of the official investigation," the prime minister said.

In turn, head of State Fiscal Service Igor Bilous said the government's decision to conduct an official investigation into the government agency’s management was a surprise, but that he believes it will help reveal the "pros and cons" in operations of the service and eliminate shortcomings.

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